Social Media, Chaos Theory and the Butterfly Effect

Now I know you might be wondering just what chaos theory and social media have in common, let me just say if you can understand one you just might be close to understanding the other.

First of all social media sites are just like a small universe displaying all the facets of any self respecting universe including suns - large dynamic groups or subsites around which planets - smaller, cooller groups populated by users with similar or shared focus - revolve and here and there are the scattered stars - people whose light shines brightly enough for people from sun areas and planet areas to see in their night sky.

Social sites also exibit fractal behaviour as many sets and subsets are formed out of niches, cliques and groups and a good social site only becomes a good social site when it fractalises itself into mini versions of itself within the framework of the system. So how do you put this kind of information about chaos theory to work for you to help you uncover the vast uses of social media?

Chaos Theory studies the effect of complex systems, those that are nonlinear and subject to many variables. Chaos is defined scientifically as, “The primal state of unformed matter and infinite space supposed in some cosmogonic views to have existed before the ordered universe. Chaos is a state of primal emptiness which is governed by simple and precise laws, but where the outcome is unpredictable and may change greatly with slight variations in starting conditions." Well, you can’t get much more variable than social and community sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Just like any system social sites are small galaxies in a wider universe and all it takes for things to change is for one person to post opinion (slight variation) on a certain topic, and if that person has a degree of persuasive strength and influence, characterised usually by a large following everything can change.

This is what can be termed as the ‘butterfly effect’ when one small action (like the flap of a butterflies wings or a small comment), can create a dynamic and increasing change in any system. For instance you create a post on any subject and post it on Facebook or Twitter (or both) and you have both persuasive strength and you have done your research and know what is topical, that comment could grow so many new added comments it is featured and becomes a trending topic. This could even result in that keyword being marked by search engines as highly important and next thing you know your initial post is ranking in search engines.

How can you, the marketer take advantage of chaos theory? How can you create the conditions that mark you as a butterfly with enough wingspan to create this kind of variable? The simple answer is you can’t.

This conversation from The Matrix will give you a clue to what I am going to say to you:

Spoon boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That’s impossible. Instead… only try to realize the truth.
Neo: What truth?
Spoon boy: There is no spoon.
Neo: There is no spoon?
Spoon boy: Then you’ll see that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

Like the spoon you cannot bend the environment or the site to your will, it will not bend. You can however become the butterfly by changing the way you interact with the spoon or social media.

Butterfly’s are easy to spot they have a certain style, they flow with the conversation and respond to the winds of change, they are right there floating above the stream listening and watching for the chance to brush their wings along the conversation and send it all flowing their way.

Being a butterfly means:

• You have entered the site as a participant ready to build relationships and make connections
• You have positioned yourself as an expert by using authenticity and sincerity
• You have educated, entertained, inspired and aided others, in short you have added value to those in your growing community
• You have built a community that is based on trust and that is able to interact and contribute their own ideas and thoughts
• You keep your contributions relevant and on the cutting edge
• You spend time each day researching, listening and watching the conversations so that you are ready to respond
• You measure the effectiveness of your posts and comments

How do you become a Butterfly whose flutters are noticed? Some simple tips to becoming a social butterfly are:

1. Search out influencial people in your niche by using Twitter Search Http://search.twitter.com or other search site. Use a geographical one if you need to create influence in a smaller arena like your own locale. When you find those influencial people, pick out the 10 most highly regarded and ranked and follow them.

2. Re-post good posts, especially those by influencial people. Simply share any great posts you recieve out to your own friend or follower base. NOTE: Be sure to include credit to the original poster. (via ???, thankyou to ???, RT ??? or great post from ???)

3. Become a trusted source of great information, check all posts and links for quality before sending them out. Write great content yourself and share it with your friends and followers. Become a resource with a wide wing span across your niche, know all news as or even before it becomes public, know whats trending and what's not, share tibits of information and tips. Let people know what if they need to know what's what in your niche that you will more than likely be the place to find it.

4. Give value, give value, give value! Always share good information with your friends and followers, don't be stingy and don't be afraid of giving secrets away for free. You will find, if you are THE trusted expert, who people know they can come to, your events and products will sell themselves. You will never have to advertise!

The flexibility and openness of social platforms come with tremendous power, where ripples in the environment can move from community to group to the world at large. Just like a change in the variable of any galaxy will eventually reach out into the rest of the universe you have the ability to create change.

Take advantage of Chaos Theory and become the social media butterfly you know you want to be.